Aniruddha was the son of Pradyumna, himself the child of the Hindu gods Krishna and Rukmini. In Hindu mythology, he is usually seen as an avatar or form of Vishnu. The story of Aniruddha is that he married Asura Baza’s daughter Usha under strange circumstances. The story is a long one extending over twelve Adhyayas.
Apsaras are the dancing girls of Indra’s court. They rose from the milk ocean when it was churned, and are of resplendent and celestial forms. However, the Apasarases did not undergo purification and hence no god could wed them. So they became women of easy virtue and dwelt among the Gandharvas (Hindu class of mythological …
Apsaras: Hindu Mythology Fairies (Portrait, Origins, Roles) Read More »
The Hindu sage Atri took as wife Anasuya (or Anusuya), a name meaning the divine quality of Free-from-envy. She was so vigorous an ascetic, and producer of miracles, that she irrigated earth with the Ganges in drought and on another occasion “made ten nights one” because her friend was cursed to “become a widow tomorrow” …
Everything about Anasuya: Mythological Hindu Wife of Atri Read More »
Airavata is Hindu mythological king of elephants, produced from the churning of the ocean, and taken by Indra, who subsequently rode on Airavata in war and wherever he went. The name has been derived from Iravat “watery” and supposed to allude to the north, as the quarter whence rain comes, or to the original idea …
All about Airavata: Hindu Mythological Father of Elephants Read More »
Aditi has the honour of being almost the only goddess mentioned by name in the Rig-Veda (Hindu religious & mythological text), as the mother of any of the gods; but it is by no means an easy task to delineate her character, as the most contradictory statements are made concerning her. She was invoked as …
Celtic creation myth No complete Celtic myth has survived describing the creation of the world, however through cross referencing multiple existing myths and stories from Roman historians, it’s possible to piece together how the Celts viewed the creation of the world. Some Celtic creation myths say druids created the sun, moon, stars and earth through …
Creation & Apocalypse Myth in Celtic Mythology & Folklore Read More »
The Celtic peoples had a rich spiritual and religious life, and many ancient record mention them as practitioners of magic. So, what kind of magic did the European and Irish Celts perform and how was it done? Anyone could practice Celtic magic, but historically it was performed by Druids. Recorded uses of Celtic magic were …
Ancient Celtic & Irish Magic, Spells and Rituals Read More »
Acanthus is a thistle like plant found in warmer climates. According to the Ancient Greeks, the acanthus flower was said to be a nymph loved by Apollo called Acantha, however the god eventually changed her into the acantha flower. The sinuate, notched leaves of two kinds of acanthus in the Mediterranean region provided the pattern …
The Anjana is a type of witch in Spanish folklore, the name perhaps being derived from Jana or Diana. These witches take on the form of old women to test out the charity of human beings. The Anjana sometimes appears as an old crones, but in their true form they are beautiful young women, fair …
Anjana: Spanish Folklore Forest Witch That Grants Wealth Read More »
Quick as lightning, the axe falls and shears. It crashes down and sometimes strikes sparks. Because of this, nearly all cultures associate the axe with thunder and rain, thus turning the axe into a fertility symbol. There are many examples of the development of the axe evolving as a symbol along these lines.